Chain severing mechanism for looping machines



April 10, 1934. w J. RE 1,954,544

CHAIN SEVERING MECHANISM FOR LOOPING MACHINES Filed Nov. 8, 1932 3 Sheds-Sheet 1 19 Egg 1.

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April 10, 1934. w J sTEERE 1,954,544

CHAIN SEVERING MECHANISM FOR LOOPING MACHINES Filed Nov. 8, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 10, 1934. w. J. STEERE CHAIN SEVERING MECHANISM FOR LOOPING MACHINES M 7 i/ W m. w @3 W 4 i m 5 aw bvwkmm m m w 6.. 5 Mi n a ZU/a Qa/m f 5M4 Patented Apr. 10, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHAIN SEVERING IVIECHANISM FOR LOOPING MACHINES Application November 8, 1932, Serial No. 641,792

15 Claims.

The present invention relates to improved mechanism for severing at both ends the loose chain portions formed in sewing together the ends of knitted tubular articles on looping machines.

The mechanism of the invention includes generally cutting mechanism and means for diverting the loose chain portions to the cutting mechanism and disposing of the severed portions. The mechanism is generally similar to that disclosed in my prior United States Patent No. 1,292,527, issued January 28, 1919, but possesses certain features of improvement which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

15. An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a partial plan view of a looping machine with the mechanism of the present invention associated therewith.

Figure 2 is a radial section through a portion of the machine showing an elevation of the mechanism of the present invention.

Figure Bis a plan view of the improved mechanism with parts in section or broken away to reveal other parts.

Figure 4 is a radial section of a portion of the machine showing the mechanism of the present invention in elevation and from the side opposite to that shown in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section on line 55 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Figure 2, and

Figure 7 is a section on line 77 of Figure 6.

Referrring to the drawings, reference numeral 35 10, Figure l, designates a main frame in which is journaled a drive shaft 11 which receives its motion through a pulley 12 from any suitable source of power. From the frame projects a horizontal arm 13 which, through a stud shaft 40 14, supports a circular disc 15 which serves to support and guide a rotatable ring or dial 16,

from which project radially the impaling pins 17.

Ring 16 is driven from shaft 11 through suitable gearing including a beveled gear 18, a meshing pinion l9, and a shaft 20. Further illustration of the main machine has not been made since the construction of such machines is well understood in the art and the devices of the present invention are capable of association with any standard machine.

The chain severing device comprises a frame which includes a plate portion 21, a bracket 22, and an angle arm comprising an upright portion 23 fixed by screws as at 22, Figure '7, to a block 55 21 integral with the plate, and a horizontal arm (c1. i z zsm 24 projecting above the plate. Bracket 22 is securable to the marginal portion of ring 15 by means of screws 25 and when thus secured, the plate projects substantially horizontally above the pins 17. 9

Plate 21 comprises a central circular boss portion 26 and an upstanding wall or flange 2'7 concentric with the boss portion but only substantially semi-circular in extent. The boss portion and wall define between them a substantially semi-annular channel 28. The surfaces of the boss portion and channel both are inclined as shown in Figure 5. The lower end portion of the channel bottom terminates in a projecting tongue 29 whose extremity projects below the 9 bottom of the main plate portion as clearly shown in Figure 5, there being a recess 30 between the tongue and the boss portion. The top surface of the tongue extremity is substantially flush with the tops of the impaling pins, as shown in Figure '7. The upper end of the channel bottom lies above the impaling pins and extends to a position short of the points of the pins.

A ratchet wheel 31 has a hub 32 journaled in arm 24. on anaxis normal to the top surface of boss portion 26 and coaxial with said boss portion. An arm 33 is pivoted on hub 32 and a collar 34 is fixed on the hub above the armb$ means of a set screw 35'so that the ratchet wheel is held against axial displacement, the top 5 surface of the ratchet wheel lying against the lower surface of the arm, such lower surfacebeizrg parallel to the top surface of the boss portion Hub 32 is provided with an axial bore in which is slidable a shaft or spindle as, the ends of the shaft extending both above and below the hub. The lower end of shaft 36 is reduced and extends within a sleeve 37 set in a circular brush block 38 in concentric relation to the latter. At the upper end of the reduced portion of the shaft is a shoulder 39 which bears against the upper surface of the sleeve, the sleeve and shoulder constituting cooperating abutments to prevent the block 38 from riding upwardly on the shaft. Block 38 is provided with an annular series of tufts 40 concentric with shaft 36 and arranged on such a circumference as to bring their lower ends into the channel 28 with the lower ends of the tufts against the channel bottom.

The upper end of shaft 36 is reduced to form a tip l1 beneath which the shaft presents antipwardly fixed shoulder. A leafspring 42 is pivoted' to the top of arm 24 by means of a screw 43 so that the spring is swingable transversely of shaft 36. The free end of the spring is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 44 in which tip 41 is adapted to be received with the marginal portions of the slot bearing against the shoulder at the base of tip 41. The spring thus tends to lower shaft 36 and the brush, so that the latter is always maintained with the lower ends of its tufts against the plate so as to have a strong sweeping action thereover. Also, wear of the tuft ends is automatically compensated. To remove the brush, it is only necessary to disengage spring 42 from tip 41, wh reupon shaft 36 may be withdrawn upwardly, releasing the brush for removal laterally.

A circular wear plate 45 is secured to the underside of ratchet 31 and secured thereagainst by means of a series of screw studs 46 which have downwardly projecting conically shaped heads arranged on a circle concentric with shaft 36. Plate 45 is apertured so as to pass shaft 36 and to pass a screw stud 4'7 fixed in the ratchet wheel in parallel relation to shaft 36 and locked by means of a nut 48. The lower end of stud 47 is slidably engaged in a kerf 49 formed in the side of the brush block 38, this being most clearly shown in Figures 2 and 4. Stud 4'7, while permitting axial movement of the brush block relative to the ratchet wheel, positively imparts to the brush rotation of the ratchet.

Arm 33 carries a pawl 50 in the plane of the ratchet wheel, the pawl being pivoted to the arm by means of a screw 51. A tension spring 52 connected between an anchorage 53 on arm 33 and the tail portion of the pawl holds the nose of the pawl yieldingly against the rim of the ratchet wheel for cooperation with notches 31 formed therein. A stop pawl 54 is pivoted beneath arm 24 on a stud 55 and its nose is held against the rim of wheel 31 by means of a spring 56 connected between the tail of the pawl and an anchorage on arm 23.

Referring particularly to Figure l, the end of arm 33 is connected through suitably articulated linkage 5'7 with an eccentric strap 58 which 00- acts with an eccentric 59 driven by shaft 11. R0- tation of shaft 11 causes oscillation of arm 33 through the eccentric and associated linkage, and as a result of the movement of pawl 50 an intermittent drive is imparted to the ratchet wheel 31 and to the brush.

The cutting mechanism comprises a fixed blade 60 disposed in a substantially vertical plane in a recess provided in the edge of plate 21, the blade being held against the bottom wall of the recess by means of a block 61 whose end overlies the blade and is held in engagement therewith by means of a screw 62. Blade 60 is sloped downwardly and outwardly to bring its leading end immediately behind the impaling pins 17 and adjacent the tongue 29. The outer end of the cutting edge 60" of the blade is substantially at the level of the tip of tongue 29.

A rock shaft 63 is journaled in block 21 and extends to either side of the block, one end of the rock shaft extending transversely of blade 60 above the latter and having fixed thereon a block 64 which presents an elongated laterally open recess in which a blade 65 is mounted and held by means of a screw 66 which is passed through an elongated slot 6'7 of the block 64 so as to facilitate longitudinal adjustment of the blade 65 relative to the block. A tension spring 68 is connected between a frame anchorage 69 and a screw '70 on block 64 and tends to elevate the free end of blade 65, the latter being provided with a cutting edge adapted to cooperate with the cutting edge of blade 60.

The other end of shaft 63 is extended a substantial distance beyond block 21 and is then bent substantially rectangularly so as to bring its extremity beneath ratchet wheel 31 and in the path of travel of the conically shaped heads of studs 46, the extremity of the shaft being bent upwardly to provide a suitably shaped cam nose 63.

A compression and torsion spring '71 surrounds shaft 63 between block 21' and a collar '72 fixed on the shaft by means of a set screw '73. Spring '71, as a result of the effort exerted on shaft 63 in the axial direction of the latter, holds the cutting blades in proper operative contact. The ends of the spring are anchored in block 21' and collar 72 so that a torsional effort is exerted on the shaft to yieldingly hold the nose 63' of shaft 63 against the wear plate 45, spring 68 cooperat ing with spring '71 in this respect. The arrangement of parts is such that nose 63' cannot move upwardly far enough so that blade 65 can move out of overlapping relation with the blade 60. It will be evident that, upon rotation of ratchet wheel 31, the heads of studs 46, engaging the nose 63 of shaft 63, will positively rock the latter to swing blade 65 downwardly and eifect a clipping action. The ratchet is steadied above the nose 63 by means of an extension 24' on arm 24 overlying the ratchet above the nose. The number of studs 46 is sufiicient, in relation to the speed of oscillation of pawl 50, so that shaft 63 is rapidly rocked and rapid clipping movements thereby imparted to blade 65.

A guard strip or finger '74 has one end wedged in a kerf '75 formed in plate 21, the finger extending between the lower end of channel 28 and the blade 65 in spaced relation above the lower lateral edge of lip 29. Finger '74 serves as a guard for the brush and as a chain guide.

Reference numeral 75 designates loose chain portions between the sewed articles 76. As the ring 16 moves in the direction of the arrow, Figure 1, the leading end of a loose chain portion is engaged by the brush in front of lip 29 and carried down on to the lip beneath finger '74 and into the range of action of the knives so that it is immediately clipped. The loose end thus formed is carried around channel 28 by the brush which, upon continued movement of ring 16, eventually carries the unsevered end of the loose chain portion into the range of action of the knives so that it is severed by the latter. The severed chain portion is carried around channel 28 and out of the upper end thereof, the points of pins 17 acting to clear the severed portions from the brush.

The action of the brush is suiliciently positive so that the leading ends of the loose chain portions are immediately diverted toward and between the blades, and since the knives are given a rapid vibratory movement, severing of the chain is effected very close behind the sewed article.

It will be understood that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in widely varied forms without departure from its scope and the embodiment which I have described is to be taken as merely illustrative. I do not limit myself to structure except as determined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. Chain severing mechanism for use with looping machines, said mechanism comprising a frame securable to a looping machine and, when so secured, presenting a horizontally extending plate portion, a brush disposed for rotation on an upright axis with the lower end of the brush on the plate portion, the plate portion having a wall external to the brush and partially surrounding the latter, and cutting mechanism at the leading end of said wall.

2. Chain severing mechanism for use with looping machines, said mechanism comprising a frame securable to a looping machine and, when so secured, presenting a horizontally extending plate portion, a brush disposed for rotation on an upright axis with the lower end of the brush on the plate portion, means yieldingly forcing the brush in the direction of the plate portion to hold the brush against the plate portion in wear compensation, and cutting mechanism external to and adjacent the path of the brush.

3. Chain severing mechanism for use with looping machines, said mechanism comprising a frame securable to a looping machine and, when so secured, presenting a horizontally extending plate portion, an upright shaft journaled and slidable in a part above the plate portion, a brush on said shaft for rotation about the axis thereof with its lower end on the plate portion, spring means urging the shaft downwardly, the lowering tendency of the shaft being communicated to said brush, and cutting mechanism external to and adjacent the path of the brush.

4. Chain severing mechanism for use with looping machines, said mechanism comprising a frame securable to a looping machine and, when so secured, presenting a horizontally extending plate portion, an upright shaft journaled and slidable in a part above the plate portion, a brush on said shaft for rotation about the axis thereof with its lower end on the plate portion, a leaf spring anchored at one end to the frame with its free end engaging the top of said shaft and thereby urging the shaft downwardly, the lowering tendency of the shaft being communicated to said brush, and cutting mechanism external to and adjacent the path of the brush.

5. Chain severing mechanism for use with looping machines, said mechanism comprising a frame securable to a looping machine and, when so secured, presenting a horizontally extending plate portion, an upright shaft journaled and slidable in a part above the plate portion, a brush on said shaft for rotation about the axis thereof with its lower end on the plate portion, a leaf spring anchored at one end to the frame with its free end engaging the top of said shaft and thereby urging the shaft downwardly, the spring anchorage being pivotal to permit the spring to swing out of engagement with the shaft end, the lowering tendency of the shaft being communicated to said brush, and cutting mechanism external to and adjacent the path of the brush.

6. Chain severing mechanism for use with looping machines, said mechanism comprising a frame securable to a looping machine and, when I so secured, presenting a horizontally extending plate portion, an upright shaft journaled and slidable in a part above the plate portion and normally projecting above and below said part, a rotary brush on the lower end of said shaft with its lower end on said plate portion, a leaf spring anchored at one end to said frame with its free end engaging the top of said shaft and thereby urging the shaft downwardly, abutment means between the shaft and brush whereby the lowering tendency of the shaft is imparted to the brush, and cutting mechanism external to and adjacent the path of the brush.

7. Chain severing mechanism for use with looping machines, said mechanism comprising a frame securable to a looping machine and, when so secured, presenting a horizontally extending plate portion, an upright shaft journaled and slidable in a part above the plate portion and normally projecting above and below said part, the upper end of said shaft being reduced, a rotary brush on the lower end of said shaft with its lower end on said plate portion, a leaf spring anchored at one end to said frame and having an aperture in its free end in which the reduced upper end of the shaft is engaged with the aperture margins resting on a shoulder presented at the base of said reduced shaft end and thereby urging the shaft downwardly, abutment means between the shaft and brush whereby the lowering tendency of the shaft is imparted to the brush, the spring anchorage being pivotal whereby upon lifting the free end thereof to free it from the shaft end the spring may be moved away from the shaft to permit the shaft to be lifted clear of the brush to permit removal of the latter, and cutting mechanism external to and adjacent the path of the brush.

8. Chain severing mechanism for use with looping machines, said mechanism comprising a frame securable to a looping machine and, when so secured, presenting a horizontally extending plate portion, a brush disposed for rotation on an upright axis with the lower end of the brush on the plate portion, a tongue forming a part of the plate portion and having its free end positioned below the bottom surface of the main part of the plate portion and beneath the brush, a fixed blade outwardly of and adjacent the tongue and presenting a top edge, and a movable blade for cooperation with the fixed blade.

9. Chain severing mechanism for use with 1ooping machines, said mechanism comprising a frame securable to a looping machine and, when so secured, presenting a horizontally extending plate portion, a brush disposed for rotation on an 120 upright axis with the lower end of the brush on the plate portion, a tongue forming a part of the plate portion and having its free end positioned below the bottom surface of the main part of the plate portion and beneath the brush, a fixed blade 125 outwardly of and adjacent the tongue and presenting a top edge, a guard strip extending above the tongue and between the brush and blade, and a movable blade for cooperation with the fixed blade.

10. Chain severing mechanism for use with looping machines, said mechanism comprising a frame securable to a looping machine and, when so secured, presenting a horizontally extending plate portion, a brush disposed for rotation on an upright axis with the lower end of the brush on the plate portion, a tongue forming a part of the plate portion and having its free end positioned below the bottom surface of the main part of the plate portion and beneath the brush, and cutting mechanism disposed outwardly of and adjacent the tongue.

11. Chain severing mechanism for use with looping machines, said mechanism comprising a frame securable to a looping machine and, when so secured, presenting a horizontally extending plate portion, a brush disposed for rotation on an upright axis with the lower end of the brush on the plate portion, the plate portion having a Wall external to the brush and partially surrounding 1 59 the latter, cutting mechanism at the leading end of the wall, and a guard strip in continuation of the leading end of the wall and disposed between the brush and the cutting mechanism.

12. Chain severing mechanism for use with looping machines, said mechanism comprising a frame securable to a looping machine and, when so secured, presenting a horizontally extending plate portion, a brush disposed for rotation on an upright axis with the lower end of the brush on the plate portion, the plate portion having a Wall external to the brush and partially surrounding the latter, cutting mechanism at the leading end of the Wall, and a guard strip in continuation of the leading end of the wall and disposed between the brush and the cutting mechanism, the plate portion including a tongue projecting in spaced relation beneath said guard strip with its free end positioned below the bottom surface of the main part of the plate portion.

13. Chain severing mechanism for use with looping mechanism, said mechanism comprising a frame securable to a looping machine and, when so secured, presenting a horizontally extending plate portion, a brush rotatable on an upright axis and having an annular ei fective portion resting on said plate portion, the top of the plate having a curved groove in which said annular brush portion may travel, the extent of said groove being less than the circumference of said annular brush portion, and cutting mechanism external to and adjacent the brush at the leading end of said groove.

14. The combination with a looping machine comprising a fixed guide, a ring rotatable on said guide, and impaling pins projecting radially outwardly from said ring, of chain severing mechanism comprising a plate secured to said fixed guide and having an end portion projecting above the impaling pins and short of the tips of the latter, said plate also having a guide channel terminating at said end portion, means for severing loose chain sections, and means for carrying the severed chain portions through said guide channel and over said end portion of the plate to be caught by the tips of the pins and cleared from said carrying means.

15. Chain severing mechanism for use with looping machines, said mechanism comprising a frame securable to a looping machine and, when so secured, presenting a horizontally extending plate portion, a brush disposed for rotation on an upright axis with the lower end of the brush on the plate portion, a Wheel supported by the frame above the brush for rotation on the axis of the latter, spring means tending to displace the brush downwardly along its axis relative to said wheel, means tor rotating the wheel, and a drive connection between the Wheel and brush operative in all positions of the latter relative to the former.

WILLIAM J. STEERE. 

